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Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Lanao Sur guv rejects suspension order
By Lino Dela Cruz
Iligan correspondent
MARAWI CITY -- Lanao del Sur Governor Aleem Bashier Manalao refused to recognize the order for his suspension delivered last Sunday, elevating instead his case to the Court of Appeals, according to his legal counsels Monday.
Manalao's suspension order came last October 28 this year after several months of review by the Ombudsman of cases filed by majority of the Provincial Board over alleged grave abuse of authority and nepotism.
However, the governor refused to vacate his office and asked for the original copy of the suspension order.
This prompted the camp of vice governor Monera Macabangon to refer the matter to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Armm and asked that the implementing order be delivered.
After four endorsements sent by Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes to the DILG-Armm, the implementing order signed by Armm vice governor Ansaruddin Adiong, who is concurrently the Regional Secretary of the DILG-Armm, was reportedly delivered to the Lanao del Sur governor's residence last Sunday afternoon by representatives of the DILG-Armm escorted by the Armm Philippine National Police (PNP) regional director Senior Superintendent Acmad Mamalinta.
Armm governor Zaldy Ampatuan is reportedly out of the country and has instructed his vice governor to sign the implementing order.
Manalao did not personally receive the order but it was handed to his staff, according to sources at the Provincial Capitol. Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro obtained a photocopy of the order.
The governor also asked the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 9 of Marawi City for a Temporary Restraining Order but during a hearing this morning, the petition was denied by RTC Judge Amer Ibrahim.
"We are not defying the order but we are demanding that the basic right of governor Manalao be respected," said Macacuna Moslem, Manalao's lawyer.
"The order is defective because Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes "washed" his hands and endorsed the implementation of the suspension order to the DILG-Armm even as the Ombudsman resolution clearly stated that Reyes should be the one to implement it and not the Armm," according to former Lanao del Sur IBP president lawyer Dalidig Sumndad, who is one of the governor's counsels.
"We are elevating this to the Court of Appeals" Sumndad said.
Meanwhile, Macabangon is now poised to take of over the governor's office in an acting capacity.
The DILG-Armm implementing order stated that, "In compliance of the law on succession and in order to prevent a hiatus in the delivery of the most essential public service, Macabangon is hereby directed to assume the position of governor and continue as such until the termination of the case but not to exceed the total period of six months."
The vice-governor was unable to occupy the office of the governor but is now holding office at the legislative building across the governor's office at the provincial capitol compound here.
But Manalao's camp says that they are still in control of the provincial capitol, services were not affected at all and the personnel intact.
It was gathered that all bank transactions of the provincial capitol are suspended until the controversy is resolved.
(November 8, 2005 issue)
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